Washing and drying machine



Sept. 29, 1931. I R. w. DONLEY 1,825,584

I I v QWAsHING. AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 Mari Wflojz f q IV mi AE'K A 29 .BY

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, '1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wasmno am) name MACHINE Application filed September This invention relates to washing and drying machines for clothes and other fabrics, the general object of the invention being to provide inner and outer receptacles, with a plunger in the inner receptacle for so moving the clothes in the inner receptacle that water will be forced through the clothes when the clothes are being washed, a valve being arranged at the bottom of the inner receptacle for controlling the flow of water from the outer receptacle to the inner receptacle, with means for draining the water from the receptacles and causing air to pass into the receptacles to dry the clothes under 5 the action of the reciprocatory movement of the plunger.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and 1n which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional 30 the apparatus. C

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the parts arranged for drying the clothes. v

Figure 5 is a detail view of the plunger.

In these views, the numeral 1 indicates an outer receptacle which is supported in spaced relation in a base 2 so that a burner 3 may be p'laced under the outer receptacle to heat the same. An inner receptacle 4 is placed in the outer receptacle, this inner receptacle being of tapered shape and a porview of tion of the outer receptacle is also of tapered shape to snugly receive a part of the inner receptacle, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The upper part of the outer receptacle is made cylindrical and a lid 6 has a portion 12,1928. Serial m. 305,513.

fitting in the upper end of the outer eceptacle. This cover is formed with an opening at its center through which the stem 7 of a plunger 8 passes, the upper end of the stem being pivoted to a lever 9 which is pivoted adjacent one end to a post 10 which telescopes into a hollow post 11, a clamp 12 being provided for holding the post 10 in adjusted position in the post 11. A spring 13 has one end connected with the rear end of-the lever and its other end to the post 11, this spring tending to hold the parts with theplunger in raised position. This spring 13 also acts to steady the lever and prevents noise when the joint between the lever and post is worn.

A as shown at 15, has its upper end pivotally connected with the lever, as shown at 16, and its other end is connected to a crank pin carried by a worm gear 17 fastened to a stub shaft 18 suitably journaled in apart of the supporting means of the apparatus, and this worm gear meshes with a worm 19 connected with the shaft of a motor 20. Thus the plunger will be reciprocated from the motor.

A spring 13 connects the crank pin with .the post 11 and acts to help the motor to move the plunger downwardly, thereby distributing the power more evenly as the motor is under its greatest strain when pushing -the plunger with the clothes thereon downwardly.

The inner receptacle has its bottom perforated, as shown at 21, and a flap valve 22 is arranged on said bottom, said valve closing the perforations on the downward move ment of the plunger and the clothes or fabrics carried thereby and opening on the upward movement of the plunger. A perforated cover 23 may be provided for the valve.

An inlet pipe 24 is connected with the lower part of the outer receptacle so that a hose can be attached tosaid pipe, to supply the device with water from a hydrant or the like, and a discharge pipe 25 is connected with the upper part of the inner receptacle. This pipe 25 is normally held in upright pitman 14, adjustable as to its length,

position by a holder 26 connected with the top of the outer receptacle. The pipes 24 and 25 are provided with check valves 27 and 27' respectively. A discharge hose 28 is connected with the lower end of the outer rece tacle 1 and is normally held in raised position by a holder at the upper end of the outerreceptacle which is similar to that shown at 26. I

The plunger includes a perforated plate 29 through which passes the loops 30 which are carried by a member 31 which is internally threaded to engage the threads of a sleeve 32 having a handle 33 on its upper end, said sleeve being rotatably mounted on the stem of the plunger so that by rotating the sleeve, the member 31 is moved vertically to raise or lower the loops 30 in relation to the plate 29.

A brace member 38 is provided for the stem 7. This member is composed of a rod looped, as shown in Fi ure 2, and is pivoted to the post 10 and to the stem.

The clothes are placed through the loops after the loops are lowered and a string can be laced through the loops and some of the' c othes placed on this string between the loops. Then the loops 30 are raised by turning the sleeve 32 to cause the member 31 with the loops to move upwardly so that clothes or other fabrics will be held between the loops and the plate 29. Water and soap,

1 pipe 24 and the hose attached to a suitable source of supply so that water will enter the lower art of the outer receptacle and will fiowt rou h the inner receptacle and through the out et pipe 25 which is lowered for this part of the cleaning operation. This water, flowing through the clothes, will rinse the same, and this action should be kept up until clear water passes from the hose 25. During both the washing and rinsing operations, the downward movement of the plunger with the clothes thereon will close the valve 22 so that the water is forced upwardly through the clothes and on the upward movement of the plunger, the valve 22 will open so that water will flow into the inner receptacle. The water will overflow through the discharge 25. When the clothes have been thoroughly rinsed,'the pipe 28 is lowered so that water will drain from both receptacles, and during this draining movement, the motor should continue in operation so that the reciprocatory movement of the plunger will act to force the water from the fabric. In order to permit the water to drain from the inner receptacle when the pipe 28 is lowered, the valve 22 must be held in raised position so that the water can pass through the perforations 21 in the bottom of the inner receptacle. This is accomplished by pulling upwardly the rod 34 which passes through a tube 35 or a depression ormed between the inner and outer receptacles, the rod having a hook 36 at its lower end which will pass through a perforation 21 and raise a part of the valve 22, as shown in Figure 1. This rod is only used to raise the valve when the inner receptacle is to be drained. After the water has been drained from the receptacles, the rod is pushed down so as to permit the valve to close and then the reciprocatory movement of the plunger and the clothes thereon will draw air through the pipe 24 and this air will be heated from the burner 3. This air passing through the fabrics will tend to dry the same and it will escape through the pipe 25. The check valves act to prevent the air from leaving the outer receptacle through the pipe 24 and from being drawn into the inner receptacle through the pipe 25. It will, of course, be understood that when air is to be drawn in through pipe 24, said pipe must be detached from the water su ply pipe.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an apparatus which will wash, rinse and dry clothes and other fabrics without removing the fabrics from the plunger and without stopping the motor so that clothes and other fabrics can be easily and quickly washed, rinsed and dried.

When the apparatus is used for drying clothes, the cover 6 is removed and a sheet 37 pf canvas or the like is placed over the top of the outer receptacle and connected with the stem of the plunger so as to prevent the escape of air from the top of the outer receptacle.

It is thought from the foregin description that the advantages and nove features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A-machine of the classdescribed comprising inner and outer receptacles, the inner receptacle fitting snugly in the outer receptacle, with the lower portions of the two receptacles spaced apart to provide a Water space, the bottom of the inner receptacle having perforations therein, a flap valve in the inner receptacle for normally closing the perforations, a dischar e pipe connected with the upper part of t e inner receptacle, a water supply pipe conemma nected with the lower part of the outer receptacle for introducing water into the space between the two receptacles, and thence up-,

wardly through the-perforations in the bottom of the inner receptacle into said inner receptacle and flowing out of the inner receptacle through the discharge pipe, a reciprocating lunger extending into the inner receptac e, means for attaching the articlesto be cleaned to the lower end of the plunger and means for reciprocating the plunger. i

2. A. machine of the class described comprising inner and outer receptacles, the inreceptacle and flowing out of the inner receptacle through the discharge pipe, a reciprocating plunger extending into the innor receptacle, means for attaching the articles to be cleaned to the lower end of the plunger, means for reciprocating the plunger, a drain pipe connected with the lower part of the outer receptacle and manually operated means for lifting a part of the flap valve to permit the water in the inner receptacle to drain therefrom into the outer receptacle, from which the water escapes through the drain pipe,

' ture.

3. machine of the class described comprising inner and outer receptacles, the inner receptacle having its upper part fitting snugly in the outer receptacle with its lower end spaced from the lower part of the outer receptacle, a fluid supply pipe in communication with said space, a discharge pipe connected with the upper part of the inner receptacle, the bottom of the inner receptacle being perforated, whereby the fluid entering the space between the lower ends of the receptacles can enter the inner receptacle and pass therefrom through the discharge pipe, a flap valve in the inner receptacle norma plunger extending into the inner receptacle.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signalyv closing the perforations and a reciprocatory" ROBERT w. DONLEY. 

